


Falling in love with the Rival

by badwolfrise



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Betrayal, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Love Triangles, M/M, Magic-Users, Revenge, Romance, changes, non-canon, planning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 01:22:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16566890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfrise/pseuds/badwolfrise
Summary: Alec Lightwood had it all. He was the youngest Head of the institute by the age of 21. He had a good marriage with Lydia Branwell. He was the darling favourite of the Clave, always efficient and ahead. But Alec’s perfect life comes crumbling down when he finds evidence of his wife’s infidelity with Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn. When Lydia leaves him for Magnus, a burning rage is born inside Alec. Spurred by revenge, Alec targets Magnus but things take a different turn when Alec finds himself attracting a different kind of the attention from the said warlock. Tangled in a web of lies, Alec uses himself to draw a wedge between the two. But in a game involved with emotions and feelings, can Alec keep himself apathetic?





	Falling in love with the Rival

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: This is basically set in an alternate universe where Valentine did not rise on Clary’s 18th birthday (yes I am going with the show Clary age). So, with no Clary there as a catalyst lots of events are delayed. HOWEVER, my Shadowhunter universe is not exactly the same as the show or book verse either. There are differences. For one thing, shadowhunters dating or staying with downworlders is not prejudiced or frowned upon. That is fairly normal. There will be some other changes to this shadow world compared to the book or show but you guys can spot that as it carries on.
> 
> This premise is actually based on a hilarious Chinese web series drama called Counterattack (Also known as Falling in love with a rival). I binged that short series and loved the idea. The premise is great and I loved the main couple there. Thought I would try a different variation of the plot with our favourite Shadowhunter couple with shadow worlds thrown in. Let me know what you guys think! Reviews keep me motivated.  
> This is only the prologue and short but the following chapters will be longer.

An exhausted Alec sighed as he sat down on his chair. Finally, after a hectic day he was alone inside his office. Peace and quiet was actually rare these days, especially since he took over the helm of the being the Head of the New York institute. Though he was new at it, only few months in. It had been busy few months. 

It was his dream job. That wasn’t a lie. He had always wanted to do this but wanting something and getting used to the experience are two very different things. He was still getting the hang of it. He barely had time for himself, between the institute and the Clave demanding a lot from him. But the proud looks he kept getting from his mother and father was enough to keep going. To say they were proud would be an understatement.

Alec was well aware of the precarious state the Lightwood name had been because of his parents’ past as the Circle members. With him taking over the institute and marrying Lydia Branwell, that had brought the Lightwoods back in the Clave’s favour and his parents were happy with it. 

His siblings were a different story….

Though Alec paid no attention to them. He loved Jace and Izzy but they did not understand him or his situation. Still, despite the obstacles Alec was very happy with his situation. He had gotten his dream job, he had a stable marriage with a respectable family from the Clave. It was the perfect life that he had pictured.  
Just not all days were roses and sunshine. Today itself had been very hectic. He had been getting a million calls from the Clave and other institutes as there had been rumours of Valentine being spotted. 

Lord knows if anything caused an uproar it would be his ghost. While Alec didn’t have any basis for it, enough people had reported it for it to be a concern. So, Alec had not had a peaceful time of just having time to himself until now, when it was 10 at night.  
“Ah sweet silence. Peace at last” he whispered as he leaned back on his chair. He was exhausted enough that he could actually fall asleep in the chair even though it would be very uncomfortable.

Though he probably shouldn’t. It wasn’t that much of a trek to go to his bedroom from his office. He knew he couldn’t bask in his peace. He had to go to his-no their bedroom.  
Alec rubbed his eyes and tried to find the will inside him to move when the door to his office flew open and in walked none other than Izzy and Jace. At the sight of his sibling and parabatai face Alec smiled. Though they didn’t always see eye to eye or agree, he loved them. And he hasn’t been able to see them in the past few days due to Clave keeping him busy. So he was more than happy with their intrusion. Even if it disrupted his peace.

“Ah Izzy, Jace. You two are a sight for sore eyes!” Alec exclaimed with a smile “Surprised you didn’t interrupt me while I was getting an earful from the Clave. That’s certainly one time I could have used your insubordination for a temporary distraction” Alec teased his siblings.

But that teasing disappeared quickly when he noticed that his siblings did not laugh at his little joke. They didn’t even crack a smile at his teasing. 

No. They both stood still. Very still. 

Not only that. They both looked at him with blank face. Devoid of all emotion. Though he could spot signs of pain, sadness and worry in their eyes. Immediately a frown overtook Alec’s face. Something was wrong.

“Okay…now you definitely have my attention. What’s wrong? Why the long face?” Alec asked. 

Instead of answering him though, Jace and Izzy looked at each other, having a silent conversation through their eyes. That silence made him worry even more. Jace and Izzy never worried. They were never quiet. He was all that, but they weren’t. So, what did they find out that they were being so…demure? The more they stayed silent the more worried he got. Alec was concerned and losing his patience.

“Okay guys enough. What. Is. Wrong? Tell me” Alec asked now, his voice commanding as he looked at them with a frown.

They both finally looked at him and neither looked happy. He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to demand again when Izzy finally spoke.

“I am so sorry Alec” Izzy apologised, her voice full of sadness.

Alec looked at Izzy in puzzlement but after apologising, Izzy immediately handed him a brown envelope. He hadn’t even noticed that she was holding it. Startled, he blinked and took the envelope. Once he had it, he looked at it in confusion before looking back up at them.

“Open it Alec. I’m sorry too” Jace spoke up for the first time. His tone and eyes reflecting the sentiment.

Now very concerned, Alec looked at the envelope that had both of his siblings being solemn and opened it gently. Once it was open, he tossed it upside down to drop whatever was inside.

A couple of photos fell out of the envelope, face down. Alec turned them the right way round to see what the images were off and immediately he went stone still. His hands shook as his eyes took in the sight on his desk. With a shaking right hand, he leaned down and traced the figures in the photos in front of him. 

He recognised them. Both figures were familiar. One due to work. The other…the other had his heart stopping as betrayal rang through his veins. He would recognise those blonde locks and eyes. He saw them everyday. The blonde figure was without a doubt his wife Lydia. But Lydia wasn’t alone. Nor was it the presence of the second figure that had been shaking. No. It was the position. Lydia was in the picture and she was kissing the lone high warlock of Brooklyn. 

He felt cold.

“When we went to pandemonium to kill some time and unwind after a demon hunt few nights ago…we saw that Alec” his parabatai spoke as he looked at him with concern and pain in his eyes. 

“I didn’t want to hurt you, we didn’t. But I felt like this was something you had to know!” Izzy stated, her eyes full of tears “I am so sorry Alec. I didn’t want to hurt you” Izzy stated sadly “Alec, say something?”

But Alec did not speak. He could not shake his eyes off the pictures to respond to either of his siblings. His mind was working on overdrive as anger drove him.  
He could faintly hear the concerned tones of Izzy and Jace but he couldn’t shake himself out of the numb haze he had fallen into. In fact, he was so lost to it that he didn’t snap out until he heard his office door banging again and a familiar blonde figure walked in.

Alec’s eyes zeroed in on Lydia who was standing at the office door, looking confused at the gazes she was getting from all three of them.

“Alec…?”


End file.
